Improvement in electric railway-signals



M. G'ODDWIN. Eiectric Railway-Signais. No.I50,-I5'0. Patented April 28,1874

@MTNEssm WVENTOR,

THE no-Rls PETERS cm, WASHUHWO: n C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. GOODWIN, or. CLEVELAND, onto.

IMPROVEMENT lN ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SlGNALS.

Specification forming part of Letters-Patent No. 150,156, dated April 28, 1874; application filed July 14, 1873.

To 12% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. John M. Goonwm, of Cleveland, in the county of Gnyalioga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and u'seful System of Signals for use upon Railroads and other lines of Traffic and Travel, for which I desire tosecure Letters Fateut of the Unite States. I

The object of my inventiouis to provide means whereby cngiues, cars, or trains, or other vehicles moving uponrailroads or other lines of traffic and travel, shall, (at any points on such roads at which those managing the I same may see fit to fix the necessary apparatuaherein describedQ through theautomatic operation of suitable mechanical and other contrivances, cause the transmission to an office, or simultaneously to several ofiices, on or near the line of such roads, of signals, which shall indicate to the train-dispatchers, onto the operators attending suchoffices, the moment of the passage of any one of said engines, cars,

or trains under or by any one of said points, x

vention reference is bad to the drawing accompanying and forming part of' this specification.

. In said drawing, Figure I represents a locomotive-engine, a freight-car, and a caboose upon a railroad, connectedand forminga train, the finger F of the apparatus on the top of the caboose being shown as engaging the fixed apparatus at a signal-point. FigH represents, in cross-section,adoable-tracked railroad with a View of the rear of a caboose (on a reduced scale) on the leit-hand track H, and the headof a locomotive and forward end of a passenger-car on the right-hand track Y; also, the bridge or girder X over the railroad, sustainiug the fixed signal apparatas of a signalpoint. Fig. III presents (on an enlarged scale) a side view of one end oi the bridge or girder attached to the girder X on the side reverse.

to that shown in Fig. III; also, a section of the metal strip R, and of the corresponding strip R, and a section of theQkey-gnard M. In Fig. IV the finger F of Fig. I is shown as about to engage the lower part K of the hey a K. Fig. V represents (on an enlarged scale) a portion of the roof the caboose, carrying a cor responding portion of the rocker-shaft or finger-rod A, and two of the fingers usedto operate the fixed apparatus aforesaid, one of the fingers, F, being shown erect, and one, F, depressed. sched nle for the record of movements of trains, as hereinafter described. Fig. VII represents (on an enlarged scale) a portion of the rear end of a caboose, with an end view of the rockershal't orfinger-rod A. The finger F is shown erect, as in Fig. V, and thefiuger F depressed. The set-screw g clamps the socket s. (see Fi V) of the finger F upon the finger-rod'A.

The mode of constructionaud operation of the several devices comprehended by and comprised in my said invention I describe as follows; and in this description I have in View the application of my said system of signals to a double-tracked railroad, on which a line of electromagnetic telegraph is assumed to. be in operation, although, as hereinafter explained, it may equally well be used on railroadshaving but a single track:

Ithaving been decided to establish a signalpost at each mile along the line of the railroad, I measure from the selected initial point, and at the proper site for each such signal set up two stout poles, p 19', Fig. II, opposite each other, one on each side of the way, and at such distance from the rails as will insure the clear- Fig. VlI represents a form for a ance of all engines and cars passing thereon, each pair of poles supporting a bridge or girder, X, Fig. II, crossing the two tracks at a height above the rails sufficient to clear the heads of men standing erect on top of the highest car. Upon each face of each end of this bridge or girderI plant a strip of copper or other metal, R,Fig. III. On oneend of each metal strip a hook is formed. The hooked ends project outward from the railway,slightly beyond the respective ends ofthe girder. Thestrips extend inwardly far enough to bring their ends inside of the outer rails of the tracks. Upon the poles of the existing line of telegraph independent lines of wire-one for the right-hand and one place. From the telegraph poles standing nearest the said signal-poles the independent or signal wires are led to the insulators, one of which is shown at N, Fig. III, on the signal- 'posts,'and thence to a connectionwith the metal strips aforesaid. Upon the bridges or girders aforesaid, and in 'such' position as to be Very nearly perpendicularly over the outer sides or walls of cabooses or other cars pass- .ing along the respectivetracks, keys, of brass or other suitable metal, a K, Fig. III, and'u K, u K, Fig. IV,) are placed. These keys are made with springs coiled around thepivotsv p 12, Figs. IIIand IV, on which they turn, so.

that their upper extremities (11/, Fig. III, and a a, Fig. IV) are held firmly against the metal strips aforesaid. Metal bolts, as at b, Fig. IV, passing through the girders, connect the opposite keys of. each pair or set. A proper battery't'it may be the one used for working the existing line of telegraph on the road, or an independent battery) being put in opera tion, and attached to each signal-wire, and the proper ground-connections being made to per t'ect the circuits, and the keys uponthe girders of the several signal-stations being,'as

aforesaid, pressed against the metal strips, it

is obvious that anelectric current will flow uninterruptedly through the Cil'CllltS'fOl'lIlGd. by

the lines of signal-wire, the metal strips, the metal keys, andthe bolts connecting the keys. Now, for the purpose of producing the signals that shall indicate the moment when an engine, car, or train passes one of these signalposts just described, I attach to such engine or car, or one of the cars in such train,'certain fingers or laths, ,(F L" F F F,, Fig. I, and F and F, Fig. II,) of steel or other suitable material of such length, and so arranged, and preferably fixed upon; a rocker-shaft or fingerrod, laid in suitable bearings along the edge of the roof of such car, or the roof of the cab of such engine, thatwhen the engine or car to which they are attached passes the girder at the signal-station, the free ends of the said fingers or laths will be brought against the lower part (K, Fig. III, and K, Fig. IV) of the key opposing their passage. The fingers, as they, one after the other, strike the said lower part of the key, will cause the upper part for the left-hand track-are put in of the same (a, Fig.'III, and a, Fig. IV) to recedefrom themetal strip R, Figs. III and 'IV, whereby the circuit on the line of wire to which the affected key is attached will be broken; and instruments, such'as are used on ordinary telegraph-lines for indicating, by sounds, the breaking andclosing of such circuits, being attached to the sig'nal-wires-at the office or offices aforesaid, themioment of the passage of each finger by the signal-key will be indicated at such office. I As the removal from the strip of metal, against which it has been, by thecoiled spring aforesaid, pressed, of either keyof any pair of keys will sufficiently break the circuit, the simultaneous disturbance of both keys of any pair is unde sirable, and, therefore, a guard, M, Figs. Ill and IV, is placed between the keys of each pair'in such a way that the finger, after striking and throwing forward the lower part of any key, strikes the guard, and is by the same so. far deflected backward that the opposite key escapes any blow from the finger. Each finger that may be in proper position for so doing, in turn strikes the key opposing it, and at each stroke a signal is sent into the offices;. and in order to distinguish each train-from others, each train carries-its fingers arranged in a manner peculiar to it. trains are usually designated numericaliy', I would usually so a1'range the fingers as to produce signals in such number and sequence as should indicate, according to an established code, certain numbers. For example, if it be assumed that the train shown in Fig. I is knownas No. 23, it would'be Well. to set up at the forward endof the rocker-shaft or finger-rod two fingers separated by a certain space, and, after leaving. an interval edual to four spaces or more, set up near the rear end of therod three fingers separated by intervals equal, each, to one space. The signals would then arrive at the offices in the order- ,thereby naturally indicating the. Enumber 23, and so on. and are, preferably, at their lower ends fast ened into-stout metal sockets. by means of bolts and nuts, as shown i'n'Fig. V, so that in case of breakage renewals may readily be made, The sockets 8, Fig. V, fitloose'ly on the finger-rod A, Fig. V, and are held in any desired position by means of set-screwsg, Fig. Vand VII. When not in use the fingers may, by loosening the set-screws, be turned down upon the roof of the car, as shown in Fig. VII, and when in that position, the set-screws being loosened as aforesaid, the rod, if rotated, will turn freely in the temporarily-disused sockets. After a train has passed a signahpost placed at or near a station on a railroad, and has, through the operation of the..apparatus herein described, indicated to the train-dispatcher or the attendants at the offices its said passage, and aftorward, in the switching or drilling of the train at the station, it be necessary Thus, as railroad The fingers are flexible,

to move the caboose, or other car carrying the fingers, backward and forward past the signal-post,.it will be desirable to prevent the transmission of unnecessary signals: and in order that the fingers may be so placed as to avoid contact with the .keys during such moving backward and forward, a lever, L, Fig. V, and L L in dottedlines in Fig. VII, extending iuto,and operatinglrom, the interior of the car, is attached to the rocliershaft or finger-rod, whereby, on occasion, the shaft or rod may be partially rotated, and the fingers at the time set on the said shaft be thrown downward and into aposit-ion where they will not engage the keys.

in Fig. VII' the dotted lines at L and L,

respectively, show the positions of the said lever when thefinger F is erect, and when, the same is depressed or thrown out of, the position necessary for engagement with the keys. After the switching is finished, and the train resumes the progress along'the road, the

fingers, properly set and arranged, should be raised into the erect position.

In case the train while running breaks iii two, and, through reason of gravitation, or, as sometimes happens, through the action of the wind, the caboose or car carryin the fingers runs-backward along the line, and while so running backward passes a signal-post, signals will-be sent into the offices in an order the reverse of that established for that train; for example, in the case of the train shown in Fig. Lwhich I have designated as No. 23, the signals would reach the offices in ,theorder instead of,as before described, in the order 5 thus train No. 82,

' would'be, signaled. Now, if, as is customaryon American railroads, trains moving, say, westward aredesignated by odd numbers, and opposing trains, or those moving east- ..ward, are designated by even numbers, andi,f,on the wire devoted to trains withodd numbers, asNo. 23, an even number, as No.32, comes in, as I have explained'that it would in,

. the event just supposed, then the train-dispatcher is made aware that for; some reason the whole or a part of train No. 23 is running; backward, and is warned to take such steps for the prevention of accident as experience and the rules of the road shall dictate. The speed :at which the train might be running backward would also be clearly indicated, as will'be shown below.

' The signal-lieysmay, in case of need, be

,nsed for sending messages in the ordinary feet persecond; at fifteen miles per hour, twenty tivo feet per second; and at thirty miles per hour, forty-four feet'per-second. Thus, with'train moving at rate of twelve miles per hour, the interval. between the signals produced by. the strokes of two of the fingers set four feet apart would be not quite one-fourth of a second; at fifteen miles per hour, about one-fifth of a second; and: at thirty mil'es'perhour, one-eleventh 'of a second.

The signals, as received at the offices, will be by the attendant recorded upo'n schedules pro; vided for the purpose, and, preferably, prepared on the plan shown in Fig. V1,,on which i the position of each and every train may at any moment he noted from an observation of 1 the several lines drawn in the appropriate columns, starting at the points representing the commencement of the runs of the trains,- respectivcly,'and continued up or down the pageas the trains progress.

If, as will sometimes be the case, two or more trains moving in one and the some direction happen to pass signatpostssimultaneously, the signals sent in will be of such a character" as to indicate the fact; and the trains that have thus simultaneously signaled, and the points from which theyhave thus, at the same moment, signaled, may be readily determined, for, the rate of progress, somany minutes to ihennile, of each train, up to the moment of the joint or mixed signal, having been exactly indicated, this attendants may, through the exercise of no' nore than ordinary intelligence, decide correctly in the premises.

Thus, if train No. 3'signal from post No. 6 at ten oclock, her rate of speed being-thirty .miles per hour, or a nrilein two minutes, and

train' No. 7 signal from post N 0. eat ten ocloclc and one minute, her rate of speed being twelve miles per hour, or elude in fi-ve minutes, and at ten oclock six ininntesa mixed signal comes in, the rapidity of the signal and the slower delivery of the other part will indicate that'one of the trains is an express and theother a freight train; and because No. 3 ought to reach post No. 9 and train N o. 7 'oiight to reach post No. 5 at about thesame moment-that is to'say, at about ten o clock and six minutes-mu observation of thetime-piece will show the trains by which, and the post from which, the signals are sent. TrainNo. 3 will makeher threesign'al-strehesin two-elevenths I of a second, while the seven strokes of No. 7 will occupy one and one-third second,-s0 that unless one of the fingers of train No. 7 strikes the hey at post No. 5 at precisely the instant when oneof the fingers of No. 3 train strikes the key at post No. 9,(a synchronism that may never ocean) the two signals will come, to the practiced ear of theoperator, as distinctfrom each otheras though they were in every way separate. J ndging from theresults of experi-V meuts, I think that resort to the ordinary workinghne of telegraph for'the purpose of determining questions arising from the occaslonal mixture of signals will rarely be necesdeliver-yet part of the r 'nal-line are in doubt from any cause, any train, on its arrival at'the station next sue plies a means for that constant supervision of the speed and movements of all trains that-is mechanical devices appurtenant thereto, upon place the two sets of signal-keys upon each bridge or girder in the same position, respect ively, in, regard to=the two rails of the single tracks of the double-track road. It will also form of, existingperinahent s't'ructi ires,

sary; but, incase the attendants on the 3:5"

ceeding the break, may be properly placedon the-schedule by the use of theregulan road-- wire.

In a railway economy, the regulation and equalization of the speed of trains is a'matier 0i -inncl. Importance; and, under the couch-- tions heretofore existing, the persistent efforts of railway superintendents to control the men in charge of freight-trains, and, in cases a? infringement of rules in regard to running, to place the blame where itought to be placed, have been only partially successful, principally because it has been impracticable to maintain a sufficient surveillance of the trains when between stations. My invention sup-- so much peeded. I

When using this system of signals, and the a single-track: railroad, it willfibe necessary to bridges, tunnels, or buildings,) itibe deemed expedient to place the metal strips and the signal-keys and key-guards on the posts 1? P, Fig. 11, alongside the road or way, or on brackets or argns attached to and projecting from such posts, instead of on the bridge or girder aforesaid, and over the road or way, and to correspondingly modify the arrangement of the rocker-shaft or finger-rod and the laths or fingers, making said fingers project, when set, diagonally or horizontally from the roof, or from'the side of the engine, ear, or caboose, instead of vertically, as hereinbafore described, or if 'circumstancesrender it expedient to attach the rocker-shaft or finger rod, and the fingers or laths, to the lower part of the side of the car orengine, or to. the under side of the floor or frame of any car or engine, and to place the insulators, metal strips, signal-keys, and key-guards, or their equivalents, on the ground beside or on the ties or substructure supporting the road or way, or the tracks thereof, then these said modifications of the arrangementof. the said track, that they age herein shown (in 'l ig. H) E- to occupy in regard to the'outer Trails of the be advisable to so construct the rocker-shaft o "4:39" rod .tnd its attachments'that they may be readily transferred from one side of the engine, car, or caboose to the other; as, for example, from the side G of the caboose, as shown in Fig. 11, going from the observer, to the side D of the same caboose on its return trip, coming toward the observer, in order that the fingers may be, according to the direction of motion of the train to which they are'attached, in position to engage the keys of the line of wire devoted to the signaling of that train; or, tWO'rocker-shafts and two sets of fingers maybe provided-one for use on each set of keys; or, cars or cabooses may be turned at each end of the road, so as to bring the apparatus .into proper position for use, as indicated. If considered a more convenient mode of applying and using the system'of signals herein described, or if, for any reason,

(as, for instance: because of peculiarities of several devices may be made, and the circuits tor the transmission of the signals made by the operation of the signal-keys under these or any such modifications maybe formed as iiereinbefore specified, or by including therein any convenient substitute for the independent wire before described. Furthermore, the tingers'aforesaid may be made to operate keys fixed, as specified in the case of the said signal-keys, above, alongside, or upon the road or way, that shall, by 'means of suitable devices, mechanically produce either visible or audible signals, or both.

What I claim is- 1. The signal-keys or circuit-breakers and the k'ey-guards,or their respective equivalents. constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

2..lhe rocker-shaft or finger-rod, and the adjustable fingers or laths, or their respective equivalents, attached to or carried by an engine, car, caboose, on other vehicle of any kind, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

- JOHN M. GOODWIN. 1 Witnesses:

MArrLANn Po'R'rER, JAMES M. HALL. 

